Minorities and Language

Research output: Chapter in book/volumeChapterScientific

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The relationship between minorities and language is complicated and related to the development of nation-states. Language minorities, as a social group, are distinguished from minority languages. The definition of minority is problematic. The size of a minority can differ widely. For membership, there is the issue of who counts as a speaker. Important frameworks are discussed. The model of 'ethnolinguistic vitality' measures chances for survival as a distinctive community. The GIDS scale (Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale) assigns a key role to language group reproduction in reversing language shift (RLS). The policy-to-outcome path uses capacity, opportunity, and desire as central conditions for minority languages to be used.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEncyclopedia of Language and Linguistics
Place of PublicationLondon
PublisherElsevier B.V.
Pages156-159
Publication statusPublished - 2006

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